Art History and its Methods

Approaches to the history of art are probably more varied and more debated than in any other branch of history, and a study of different historical approaches has become an important component of student courses.Library Journal Critical essays culled from the writings of 27 significant art historians and writers comprise this scholarly collection. Fernie, the director of the Courtauld Institute of Art at the University of London, promises to provide a "view of the methods which art historians have found appropriate or productive in studying the objects and ideas which constitute their discipline." The chronologically arranged excerpts begin with Renaissance writer Giorgio Vasari's biographical approach and include Goethe's praise of Gothic style, Jacob Burckhardt's historical observations, Johann Joachim Winckelmann's reflections on the cultural context of art, Giovanni Morelli's study of attribution, Roger Fry's analysis of form, Erwin Panofsky's discussion of humanism, and Griselda Pollock's present-day feminist analysis. Fernie's introductory overview of approaches to art history, his insightful comments preceding each essay, and a helpful glossary provide a substantial framework for the erudite writings. Recommended for academic collections.-Joan Levin, MLS, Chicago